MEAT AND POTATOES FOR YOUR AFFILIAT Affiliate-programs article

MEAT AND POTATOES FOR YOUR AFFILIATE DIET

Think of banner ads as the spice in your affiliate diet.

Think of banner ads as the spice in your affiliate diet.

Sprinkle them around, but for a heartier helping of sales,

you'll need something more solid! Learn to give your
visitors longer, more descriptive pre-sales text. Revamp
your affiliate advertising using these simple steps:

* Pull the Reader in
* Introduce the Product
* Explain the Product's Significance
* Tell the Reader to Make a Purchase

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Pull the Reader in
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To convince your audience that your text is worth reading,
make your first sentence or two very interesting. Make a
bold statement, say something seemingly ridiculous, or
appeal to your prospect's emotional side. Then, tie this
grabber in with the rest of your copy.

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Introduce the Product
---------------------------------

What is the product you're advertising? What does it do?
Directly after your grabber, give a compact explanation of
your product. Keep this explanation short, while still
being very clear. This should still be a very short
section of your text.

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Explain the Product's
Significance
---------------------------------

What will it do for me?

By writing your own copy, you can directly target your
unique audience. Make the most of this opportunity!
Clearly explain how your readers will benefit from this
product.

No one knows your audience like you do. Suggest a variety
of product uses just for them, and give examples. This is
the time for details - make this section long and rich.

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Tell the Reader to Make
a Purchase
---------------------------------

You've come so far - you've laid out exactly what the
product is and how it will help your unique audience. Now,
seal the deal - tell your readers to purchase the product!
Include your affiliate link in this section.

This step may sound strange, but it's necessary. Often,
people hear about a product and are genuinely interested,
but fail to actually make a purchase. A clear call to a
simple action cuts down on buyer ambivalence. Don't be
pushy - just change your verb tenses to the imperative.
Instead of:

"If you think that you fit this profile, you
might want to think about buying this product."

Say:

"Click here to order an account today."

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Drive Sales - Use Long Copy
---------------------------------

If you don't feel ready to write long copy yourself, ask
your affiliate program manager for help! Many companies
release well-written articles by respected authors that
you can reprint free of charge.

The novelty of the Web is wearing off. People online now
are busy. Surfers won't make a purchase unless you make a
great case for what they'll get out of it. And you're not
going to do that with just a banner ad.